Etude Op. 8 No. 12 (Scriabin)

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The opening of Étude Op. 8, No. 12 features the large jumps the left hand must make.
The opening of Étude Op. 8, No. 12 features the large jumps the left hand must make.

Etude Op. 8 No. 12 is a technical etude for piano in D-sharp minor which was written by Alexander Scriabin in 1894.[1] It features many technical challenges including treacherous stretches with intervals up to an eleventh, numerous jumps in the left hand, repetitive chord strikes, and abundant octaves. It is a particular favorite among pianists and audiences alike. This piece was a favorite encore of Vladimir Horowitz.

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[edit] Technique

The dramatic leitmotif and moving recitative of the solo in the upper voices on the chordal background is characteristic of Scriabin's early creations.[2] The piece's tempo varies between 100 and 112 bpm. The right hand is always playing octaves except for the piece's ending. Similarly, the left hand is continually jumping around until the final chord is struck.

As with other etudes penned by Scriabin, the jumps written for the left hand can be somewhat facilitated by executing higher notes in the bass clef (e.g., the high A# in the second beat of measure two) with free fingers in the right hand.

[edit] Media

MIDI sequence (played by Domenico Stigliani)

[edit] References

[edit] External links